Best Time to Take BCAAs and Dosage, Do You Do It Right?

Let's face it. No one is hitting the gym, lifting heavy weights in the hopes that they look exactly like they did five months before. If you're already taking BCAAs, you should see high performance as you incorporate them into your daily supplement routine.

That being said, have you ever wondered what is the best time to take BCAAs?

What Are BCAAs

They are responsible for supporting muscle growth and stopping fatigue. They work as both a fuel source and as a building block for muscle. They are amazing aminos!

Best Time To Take BCAAs

There are three times a day you should be considering taking BCAAs.

1. When You Wake Up

When you wake up, your body begins to break down muscle. Tragedy!

This is because of the fast that you have had while you slept. If you are trying to bulk and build muscle, then this is a very good time to take 5-10 g of BCAAs. This will give you a three-pronged benefit:

Mental energy boost

Reduced hunger

Aid muscle growth

Waking up is hard to our bodies. We just spent a long time in a lowered metabolic state.

When all of the metabolic processes come back online, our bodies need extra fuel to start functioning.

This is one of the reasons that breakfast is so important.

If you aren't eating breakfast, then the least you can do is supplement with a protein shake that has a minimum of 5 g BCAAs. If your current powder doesn't list the BCAA content, throw it out and get some that does list it.

2. Pre and Post Workout

Before and after a workout, nutrition is important. It is vital that you give your body enough fuel to meet the demands of your lifting routine.

The same is true when you are done. Without proper nutrition, you will never see the performance increases that you are looking for.

You may wonder, before or after?

Well, in this case there is no best time to take BCAAs. Before and after are equally important.

Before

If you drink 5-10 g BCAAs before your workout, you will ensure that your body has everything that it needs to get through your workout without using your muscle as fuel.

After

Get ready, because it is about to get really easy. After the workout, you want to take the same dosage of 5-10 g of BCAAs. This is going to help your muscles repair all of the damage you just inflicted when you did your workout.

So Really What's The Hype?

Ok, most people know that proper diet and exercise are going to be the key to seeing the performance gains that they want. Supplementation may give you a tiny boost, but typically not a huge one.

What makes BCAAs different?

33% of all muscle tissue consists of the three amino acids found in BCAAs.

That is a very targeted dosage. Think about it.

You are trying to replace muscle tissue that has been lost.

Only amino acids can rebuild muscle.

One third of the muscle tissue comes from the BCAA type of Amino Acids.

It's like sending your muscles a bomb of nutrition during and after your workouts.

Why Does Timing Matter?

Why is there a best time to take BCAAs? Shouldn't it just matter if you are simply getting them in your system?

Unfortunately, the answer is no!

Your body is a machine that relies on timing. Releasing the right nutrients at the right time keeps you going, or stops you from working.

If you have to choose, depending on your goal there is a best time to take BCAAs.

If you want to delay the burn out that you feel at the end of a workout, then the best time to take BCAAs is right before you work out.

If you want to skip the soreness that you feel after a workout, then the best time to take BCAAs is right when you finish.

Taking BCAAs at both of these times is going to release that targeted dose of nutrients to your body at exactly the right time:

This stops your body from using its own fuel (muscle).

It also gives your body enough additional resources to do what it needs to do.

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Emily is an all around fitness enthusiast and nutrition fanatic. She held her personal training certification from the American Council on Exercise. In her free time she enjoys rollerblading with her family and dogs.

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